Duct for the transfer of materials at a variable flow rate

ABSTRACT

Duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, comprising means for adapting at least a part of the cross section of the said duct to the flow of the material streaming through said duct, the said means consisting of at least two wall elements which are mounted on the opposite sides of a lateral opening in one wall of the said duct, at least one of the said wall elements being movable, said wall elements being so designed that the distance, over which said movable wall element is in contact with the material, varies according to the position of the said element during the displacements thereof.

United States Patent Godet [54] DUCT FOR THE TRANSFER OF MATERIALS AT A VARIABLE FLOW RATE Inventor: Jean Godet, Le Mans, France Service dExploitation Industrlelle des 'Iabacs et des Allumettes, Paris, France Filed: June 30, 1969 Appl. No.: 837,566

[73] Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data July 2, 1969 France ..157474 US. Cl. ..l38/46, 53/148, 193/29, 221/65, 221/207, 221/242 Int. Cl ..B65d 83/02 Field ofSearch ..138/46; 193/29, 32; 221/65, 221/207, 242; 214/832, 83.18, 16; 53/148, 149,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,925,162 2/1960 Deluncq "193/32 -noooooodtt Mar. 7, 1972 3,347,496 10/1967 Opfer, .Ir 138/46 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,502,715 12/1966 France Primary Examiner-Carlton R. Croyle Assistant ExaminerRichard J. Sher A ttorney-Sparrow and Sparrow 7] ABSTRACT Duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, comprising means for adapting at least a part of the cross section of the said duct to the flow of the material streaming through said duct, the said means consisting of at least two wall elements which are mounted on the opposite sides of a lateral opening in one wall of the said duct, at least one of the said wall elements being movable, said wall elements being so designed that the distance, over which said movable wall element is in contact with the material, varies according to the position of the said element during the displacements thereof.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDMAR H972 I 3,646,971

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ATT on NEY5 This invention relates to a device for transferring a stream of material or articles from a feed unit to a receiving unit of the type comprising betweensaid units an intermediate duct provided with means for adapting at least a part of its flow cross section to the stream of material or of articles which pass through said duct.

A device of this known type as described in French Pat. No. 1, 02,715 comprises between a feed unit and a receiving unit an intermediate hopper of rectangular cross section, the two opposite faces of which are provided with a pivotal wall element. The displacement of said elements is so arranged that the level of articles within the hopper can be modified at will.

It has been found that it is possible to extend the performance potentialities of the device and in particular to influence its sensitivity, that is to say to obtain in respect of a same displacement of the movable wall variations in volume of the hopper which are better suited to different practical requirements. This result is achieved by making provision for a second wall element which is complementary to the first and adapted to cooperate with this latter in a special manner in order to define the available volume. The invention provides the possibility of obtaining either greater or smaller variations in volume in respect of a same displacement of the movable wall by virtue of the mutual influence of the two wall elements which are intended to cooperate with each other.

The additional possibility which is thus provided arises from an arrangement wherein the useful length of the movable wall element can be modified at will.

The present invention relates to a device for transferring a stream of material or of articles from a feed unit to a receiving unit, of the type comprising between said units an intermediate duct provided with means for adapting at least a part of its cross section to the flow of material or of articles. Said means consist of at least two wall elements which are mounted on the opposite sides of a lateral opening of said duct, at least one of said wall elements being movable so as to vary the cross-sectional area for flow. The device is characterized in that the two wall elements are so designed that the useful length of the movable wall element or distance over which said element is in contact with the material or articles varies according to the position of said element during the displacements thereof.

Compared with the expedient proposed in the above-cited Pat. No. 1,502,7I5 in which the extremity of the pivotal wall element describes a circular arc within the interior of a shell and in which each variation of the angle causes a variation which is proportional to the volume, there is obtained by virtue of the essential feature of the invention a variation in volume which will be either greater or smaller than the variation ofthe angle through which the pivotal wall element passes according as the useful length of the movable wall increases or decreases.

However, the invention is not limited to a movable element of the pivotal type. Said wall element could also be capable of translational motion. In this case, it would be necessary to ensure either that the other wall element is movable or that the extremities of the two wall elements are provided with combtype teeth in order that said extremities may thus be permitted to interengage or alternatively to provide for both mobility and a comb-tooth design of both wall elements.

Various combinations of said wall elements which are characteristic of the invention are possible.

One particular application can be that of adaptation to a device of the type described in US. Pat. No. 3,498,022. In a device of this type, the lower portion of an intermediate duct which connects a feed station to a distribution station is subjected along the axis thereof to periodic displacements whereby the lower end of the duct which has previously been shut offin a suitable manner is moved away from the top layer of objects which have already been distributed. Should it prove necessary in such a case to prevent both the displacement of the upper portion of the duct and of the level of the objects within cordance with the invention will consist in disposing one pivotal wall element on one side of a lateral opening of the outer end of this latter, said elements being accordingly provided with comb-type teeth which are capable of interengagement.

It will thus be possible in this manner to regulate the volume of the duct in order to ensure a constant level of the objects both during transfer and during cyclic displacements of the lower end of the duct.

It should be pointed out that, in accordance with a further property of the invention, the means ofthe invention are such that one of the movable wall elements makes it possible to adjust the cross section of the flow in the duct whereas the other element is capable of cooperating with the first by virtue of the means previously referred to in order to modify to a greater or lesser extent the cross section of the flow which has thus been adjusted. This second element can also be movable.

Thus, the application which has just been described must be considered as an example in which the displacement of the bottom of the duct is made possible by the arrangement. A displacement of this kind can be considered not as a condition but as a means for adjusting the volume of passage of the articles and it will gain be added that this displacement can be either a translational movement or a rotational movement of one or both wall elements.

A number of different examples of practical arrangements which are given without any limitation will be explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1, 2 and 3 show arrangements in which only one wall element is movable. FIG. I is a sectional view ofa part of the transfer duct; for the sake of greater clarity, the other figures are diagrammatic;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show arrangements in which the two wall elements are movable;

FIG. 7 is a special arrangement for transferring fibrous, granular or powdered materials;

FIG. 8 shows a duct provided with two openings which can each comprise either ofthe two arrangements of FIGS. 1 to 7;

FIG. 9 shows a particular arrangement as applied to the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,022.

In FIGS. 1 to 8, the articles or the material are delivered from a feed station A and, under the action of any suitable conveying means, pass through the intermediate duct towards the receiving station R in the direction of the arrow 1. The full lines indicate a so-called starting position whilst the broken lines represent positions of adjustment of the cross-sectional area provided for the flow of products.

The intermediate duct is materialized by the bottom wall 2 and the top walls 3 and 4 while the space between these latter determines the opening 5. Plates 6 and 7 are mounted at the extremities of the walls 3 and 4 respectively in order to make an angle with said walls in certain arrangements or to permit this possibility in other arrangements.

The plates 6 and 7 are full plates as shown in FIG. 7 and are designed to form combtype teeth in the other figures.

In the arrangement of FIG. I, the plates 6 and 7 are rigidly mounted on the walls 3 and 4. The assembly 3 and 6 is capable of displacement in translational motion in the direction of the double arrow 8. The displacement of said assembly which makes it possible in particular to modify the useful length of the movable plate 6, said length being determined by the intersection of the plates 6 and 7, endows the device with a degree of sensitivity which is variable according to the direction of displacement and according to the zone of adjustment considered.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the plate 6 is capable of pivotal motion about the pin 9. When the useful length of this movable plate decreases when changing over, for example,

this latter, an advantageous arrangement in ac-- to be too small by being maintained in contact therewith; if so required, said plate can be caused to penetrate until complete closure of the transfer duct. Moreover, depending on the posi tion 60, any further contact between the plate 6 and the plate 7 can be prevented in order that any possible overflow of the duct may thus be discharged to the exterior.

It will also be possible to combine the two movements of the plate 6 which, as shown in FIG. 3, will be capable of moving in rotation about the pin 9 and at the same time in translational displacement with the wall 3. It will be apparent from this figure that, depending on the extent of displacement of the wall 3 which tends to bring the pivot pin 9 to position 9a, the pivotal motion of the plate 6 towards position 6d or towards position 6e makes it possible to adjust the volume of the portion of the duct while taking into account the sensitivity of the arrangement. In other words, it would be possible either to accelerate or slow down the variations in volume which are caused by the displacement of the wall 3 or even to maintain said volume at a constant value.

It should be noted that this arrangement facilitates the changeover to positions 6b and 6c of FIG. 2, the length of the plate 6 being less critical by virtue of the translational displacement of the element as a whole.

In order to extend the performance potentialities of the device while giving due consideration to the fact that it is sometimes necessary to produce translational displacements at both ends of the duct, for example, in order that receptacles for supplying or emptying the duct can readily be placed in position, the invention accordingly provides for the possibility of associating the two elements either by subjecting the two walls 3 and 4 to translational movements as shown in FIG. 4 which can be complementary to each other or opposite in order that the useful lengths of the plates 6 and 7 can produce a variation such as to increase or decrease the volume of the opening zone or alternatively maintain said volume at a constant value.

In FIG. 5, the association of the movements is carried out by displacing the wall 4 in translational motion and the plate 6 of the other wall 3 in rotational motion. In this case also, both movements make it possible to adjust the volume of the zone 5 either by increasing, reducing or maintaining said volume as a result of opposition of movements.

The advantages of all the solutions which have already been explained can be very easily obtained by means of the combination, as shown in FIG. 6, of all the movements of all the elements which constitute the intermediate duct.

It may prove objectionable to have comb-teeth plates in the case in which it is necessary to process either fibrous, granular or powdered materials (sand, tobacco and in particular cut tobacco); in fact, materials of this type are liable to pass between the teeth or to become jammed in these latter and thus result in clogging. In order to overcome this disadvantage, the invention provides for the possibility of employing full plates in an arrangement as shown in FIG. 7.

In this arrangement, the angle made by the wall 4 and the plate 7 remains constant and the plate 7 is of suitable length in relation to both the length and possibilities of displacement of the plate 6 which is intended to produce action in such a manner as to be always in contact with the extremity ll of the plate 7; if this latter carries out a movement of displacement with the wall 4, for example a translational movement towards the right-hand side, the extremity 11 moves along a parallel path up to the point 1112 and the plate 6 pivots about the pin 9 so as to take up the position 6b while remaining in contact with the plate 7 which has moved to position 7b.

FIG. 8 shows very diagrammatically a duct in which provision has been made for two openings 5 and 5a; the wall 2 FIG. 9 shows a vertical arrangement of a device which is more particularly adapted to the embodiment contemplated in US. Pat. No. 3,445,986 and in US, Pat. No. 3,498,022 which propose devices having an intermediate hopper and movable walls which are intended to produce a displacement of the level of the articles.

It has been found that, in devices of this type, the stream of articles is subject to variations in flow resulting either from the supply or from the reception of products, said variations being correspondingly greater as the rates of transfer and means of supply and reception are variable.

The foregoing applies more particularly in the case of a device for filling with rod-shaped products and especially cigars comprising successive receptacles which move beneath a supply station. As a result of changeover from one receptacle to the other, there is a discontinuity whereas the supply is continuous. The presence of an intermediate receptacle is thus necessary in order to collect the products on a guide plate which conveys said products progressively towards the bottom of the receptacle.

In a receptacle of this type, the level of products is variable and it can happen that said products may be disturbed as a result of the height of free fall of these latter, which is the result in subsequent stoppage of all or part of the flow of products; this can occur in particular after a change of compartment.

The means provided by the present invention are capable of ensuring better distribution and more accurate stacking of products.

To this end, the intermediate receptacle will be so arranged that the products contained in said receptacle are maintained pattments must be limited to the lower portion of the receptacle.

The arrangement which is illustrated in FIG. 9 and which makes it possible to maintain objects within the receptacle at a which arise from this cause as well as others.

In FIG. 9, the reference numerals l2 and I3 designate push plates whereby the products which are placed on the stationary plates 14 and 15 are thrust forward and collected so as to cause them to penetrate into the receptacle l6 and this latter opens in the direction of the retaining plate 17 which circulates vertically within the compartment 18. The arms 19 and in the compartment 18 in order to permit replacement of this full compartment by an empty compartment and in order that the retaining plate 17 can be placed in position within the new compartment. Said plates 23 and 24 are provided with rollers 25 'and 26 which rotate in opposite directions and are driven by separate motors. The pivotal arms porarily the discharge opening of the receptacle l6 direction of the empty compartment in position. The top portion of said walls is provided with open portions or comb-type teeth and sloping outwards. By virtue of this openwork design, the lateral walls 29-30 of the top portion of the receptacle 16 which is also of openwork structure are capable of engaging one inside the other and of passing through the walls 27 and 28.

The walls 29 and 30 are pivotally mounted on the pins 31 and 32.

A photoelectric device 33-34 is placed at the level of the plates 14 and 15 so that the light beam is located at a level immediately above the level of supply of products.

The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows. The cigars or like products which are supplied cyclically by means of the push plates 12 and 13 fill the receptacle 16 and collect on the retaining plate 17 which moves downwards step by step into the compartment 18. When the plate 17 reaches the bottom of the compartment 18, the arms 19 and 20 pivot about the pins 21 and 22 and thrust the movable plates 23 and 24 against each other beneath the discharge opening of the receptacle 16. The rollers 25 and 26 which rotate in opposite directions under the driving motion of their separate motors push the products upwards and provide a passageway for the plates 23 and 24 which close off the discharge opening of the receptacle and support the products which are contained therein. When complete closure has been efiected, the bottom portion of the receptacle as represented by the walls 27 and 28 is lifted so as to free the full compartment 18, thereby facilitating the withdrawal of this latter and its replacement by an empty compartment, with the result that the retaining plate 17 can be moved back into the new compartment in the top position close to the level of the discharge opening of the receptacle 16.

In the meantime, the articles continue to arrive within the receptacle 16 and the lateral walls 29 and 30 are actuated by the detectors 33-34 so as to pivot slowly outwards about the pins 31 and 32 and to open the reserve zones of the receptacle 16 which are delimited by the outwardly displaced extremities of the walls 27 and 28 and the movable walls 29 and 30. In this manner, the level of cigars or like objects can be maintained constant within the receptacle 16 although the height of this latter has been reduced and although the receptacle remains continuously supplied with products.

When the retaining plate 17 is placed in position within the new compartment beneath the discharge opening of the receptacle 16, the base of said receptacle moves downwards to its position at right angles to the arms 19 and 20, whereupon these latter pivot about the pins 21 and 22, the plates 23 and 24 move away from each other (in the position shown in broken lines) and allow the articles to be deposited on the retaining plate 17.

This downward movement of the bottom portion of the receptacle 16 causes a drop in the top level of the articles; the light beam emanating from the photoelectric device 33-34 is no longer cut off and the walls 29 and 30 are immediately actuated so as to move inwards and to cause the articles which are contained in the receptacle to move upwards under the pressure exerted by said articles which are driven back from the reserve zones, When the walls 29 and 30 reach their vertical positions (as shown in broken lines in FIG. 9), the retaining plate 17 can be actuated so as to commence its downward movement (which can be of the step by step type). Although the retaining plate 17 is in principle caused to move downwards as a result of occultation of the light beam, said downward movement corresponds in practice to the return of the walls 29 and 30 to the vertical position.

In fact, in order to prevent hunting effects, all the move ments are synchronized or timed as a function of the rate of flow of the articles being delivered so that the difference between the level of delivery of articles and the level of the top layer of articles contained in the receptacle 16 is kept as low 7 as possible at each moment.

What is claimed is: 1. A duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, said duct comprising a lateral opening in one wall of said duct, two intersecting, lateral, wall elements each having an edge mounted on said one wall of said duct and having a free edge, at least one of said wall elements being movable, said wall elements intersecting with one another to delimit a wall structure closing said lateral opening, said structure having an inner surface variable according to the position of said movable element.

2. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable in rotation.

3. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable in translation.

4. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable both in rotation and in translation.

5. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is disposed for penetrating into said duct.

6. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements constitutes a passageway for the discharge of the overflow from said duct.

7. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein said duct comprises two lateral openings.

8. A duct in accordance with claim 1, and detector means disposed for controlling said movable wall elements relative to the level of said material contained in said duct.

9. A duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, said duct comprising a lateral opening in one wall of said duct, two intersecting lateral wall elements, each having an edge mounted on saidone wall of said duct and having a free edge, at least one of said wall elements being movable, said wall elements intersecting with one another to delimit a wall structure closing said lateral opening, said structure having an inner surface variable according to the position of said movable element and wall elements comprising plates in the form of combs having interengageable teeth.

@3 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE @ERTEFICATE F 0RRETI Patent No. 3646971 Dated March 7, 1972 Inventor(s) Jean GODET It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Caption, under "Foreign Application Priority Date",

"July 2, 1969" should be -July 2, 1968-- Signed and sealed this 30th'day of January 1973..

(SEAL) v Attest:

EDWARD MFLETCHERJR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, said duct comprising a lateral opening in one wall of said duct, two intersecting, lateral, wall elements each having an edge mounted on said one wall of said duct and having a free edge, at least one of said wall elements being movable, said wall elements intersecting with one another to delimit a wall structure closing said lateral opening, said structure having an inner surface variable according to the position of said movable element.
 2. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable in rotation.
 3. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable in translation.
 4. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is movable both in rotation and in translation.
 5. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements is disposed for penetrating into said duct.
 6. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall elements constitutes a passageway for the discharge of the overflow from said duct.
 7. A duct in accordance with claim 1, wherein said duct comprises two lateral openings.
 8. A duct in accordance with claim 1, and detector means disposed for controlling said movable wall elements relative to the level of said material contained in said duct.
 9. A duct for transferring a stream of material from a feed unit to a receiving unit, said duct comprising a lateral opening in one wall of said duct, two intersecting lateral wall elements, each having an edge mounted on said one wall of said duCt and having a free edge, at least one of said wall elements being movable, said wall elements intersecting with one another to delimit a wall structure closing said lateral opening, said structure having an inner surface variable according to the position of said movable element and wall elements comprising plates in the form of combs having interengageable teeth. 